Bits and Pieces...

I'm quite certain that you are probably much like me.  I ramble through my day to day from one project to another before waking up one Sunday morning to realize that it is already March and spring is truly around the cornner (and creeping up in my herb garden).  I'm afraid I've been a bit guilty of too much planning and not enough pausing.  Anyway, here we are with long sunny days at our finger tips and I must say I am yearning for an afternoon outside with my sketch book and a cup of tea.

As always, life at the farmhouse is busy but it's more process than progress, I'm afraid.  We still have renovation projects pending and I think I'm going to have to spend some serious time this spring reclaiming my flower beds.  With April around the corner, our tandem bicycle is itching for some time on the road...and my running shoes have already gotten a lot of attention as my husband and I have been training for our first half-marathon.   That doesn't leave a lot of time for creative thinking!

I'm beginning to feel the weary effects of too much time away from my studio.  I think I realized that this morning.  A dear yoga student gave me the most beautiful card this week and I decided to add it to my inspiration wall.  (I use the wall beside the window in my studio to display notes, sketches, pictures, and other beautiful things.)  I stood there admiring the many unqiue images layered together and I immediately felt a little hollow having missed my time with ink and paint.  Not that I haven't thought about things I would like to do...something new for my Esty shop, some intersting shelves for the bathroom, a gift for a sweet couple planning their wedding this fall...a prayerful  note to a special friend.

So, since my time is a little thin these days, I have to make sure that all of the other little bits and pieces feed my creative spirit.  Creativity really is a lifestyle...cooking a meal, creating a new playlist for my yoga class, rearranging the pantry, carrying a cute umbrella, appreciating the art in a collection of bottle caps...these little things have fed my creative spirit this winter,  along with picking funky socks to wear on my weekly long run (anything to make the miles a little more fun).  Nothing complex, I know, but collectively, these small things keep my creative mind happily humming along.

I'll keep you posted on my creative progress.  Until then, please take a moment and visit my Etsy Favorites to see the creative spirit at work in the studios of other indie artists and collectors.

Happy almost spring, everyone!

The Kitchen Shelves...and other lessons in patience



As promised...let me tell you about my kitchen shelves.  There are only two of them and they aren't very long, but I must say I'm pretty pleased with the way things turned out, which is a really good thing because it only took forever to plan, design, and create this little bit of kitchen art.  The process started in September...

You'll recall that we began working on our tiny kitchen last fall.  Well, it isn't quite finished - the holidays hit and my free time got stretched between work, projects for clients, gifts for friends...you get the idea, and I;ve spent the last couple of months playing catch-up.  Still, we've made progress, and I'm grateful for that.  Always intended as a part of our kitchen re-do, the shelves, however, took on a life of their own.

I guess it's fair to say I suffer from AADD...Artistic Attention Deficit Disorder.  Somewhere down deep, I had an idea about how I wanted the shelves to look, but I kept bouncing from one design to another.  My husband and I debated whether they would work better on this wall or that, we planned for 3 shelves, but I changed my mind after the wood was purchased and cut to size, so we ended up with two by default...oh, and the brackets (you get the idea).  In short, my kitchen shelves became one big lesson in patience.

Patience is a funny thing...it takes a certain patience to sit in traffic or stand in line. Pregnancy was a huge test of patience for me and my children will tell you that waiting for Christmas morning or the last day of school is no picnic.  I have friends that are models of patience as they wait for loved ones in the military serving overseas to come home.  It takes patience to loose weight, quit smoking, and save money.  It takes patience to mend a broken heart, paint your nails, and wait for water to boil.  It's hard to practice patience with other people...and maybe even harder to have patience with youself.  And that's the lesson of my kitchen shelves - I had to be patient with me.

Well, I finally settled on size and design, spent a couple of weekends with various paints, prints, and mediums, and finished each shelf with a bit illustration.  My patience paid off and I'm pleased with the detail, color, and funky attitude these functional art pieces have added to my kitchen.  With walls painted, tile border finished, and shelves up, I am beginning to see the big picture...a little trim work, floor finishing and cabinet paint and we'll be able to sit back and...well, maybe not relax, exactly, but at least enjoy the view while we wash dishes!  But that will have to wait for another day...I'm back at work in the studio for the next couple of weeks...another opportunity for patience.

Simply Sacred...

I know it has been ages since I've written and I can only tell you that I've thought a hundred times about what I might share.  Basically, the past couple of months have been busy...more than busy, and I find myself, as I'm sure many do, simply chasing the day.

I had planned for this blog to be about patience...and my kitchen shelves (yes, there is a connection there, I promise)...but that post will have to wait for another day.  I am, by the way, quite pleased with my little shelf creation...just so you know it was worth the wait.  But the shelves are only a small part of the past few weeks and I promise more on projects later.

Today, however, I was taking a moment to watch  a little TV with our daughter, Gentry (she has been a little under the weather this weekend and needed a some Mommy time) and I heard something that touched me.  A Jewish Rabbi was talking about the orthodox Jewish diet and explained that the diet was an extension of the idea that we should celebrate holiness in our daily life.



I was touched...he had somehow articulated what I haven't quite been able to put into words.  I am frequently asked by friends, family and co-workers why I choose be a vegetarian.  As crazy as it may sound, I really do believe everything is sacred and somehow, I feel a deeper harmony with Mother Earth if I don't eat meat.  But honoring the holiness of daily life is bigger than what I eat...it really is how I choose to live...

My husband scratches his head at my insistance that the bed be made each morning.  My daughter doesn't quite understand why I use my good china once a week.  A full moon fills me with a sense of wonder and I love to hear the windchimes sing on a windy night.  I light candles every evening and almost always have a fresh vase of flowers under the window.  I feel comfort in a bowl of soup and a yummy glass of wine on a weeknight, a kitchen filled with the smell of fresh bread and shelves designed and created by yours truly, and an evening spent wrapped in a blanket watching the sunset from my back porch.

None of this is ovewhelmingly significant, but our lives are crafted in the little moments...moments spent recognizing the holiness of daily life.  Celebrating the sacred simply means paying attention, living in harmony and gratitude, honoring the day with a soft spirit, and remembering that everything that surrounds us...no matter how small or mundane...is a holy gift.

I'll tell you all about the shelves, the virtures of patience, and future projects another time.  Today, I'm just enjoying their beauty...and the end of the day.

Livin Life...

Once again, I'm marking time by the change of the seasons.  Since September here in East Tennessee was unusually warm, the onset of autumn has taken me a bit by surprise.  Cooler weather, which ususally brings out the knitting needles, hot cocoa recipes, and all things honoring evening shadows, full moons, and the color orange, has simply left me chilly and wondering where my sweaters are.  Life seems to be rolling right along without any consideration of my schedule or list of unfinished projects.  Honestly, I guess this is as it should be...too much control short circuits creativity, I think, so I it's time to embrace the moment and remember that this orangic flow to my days really is like a breath of fresh air.

Available at Southern Fried Gallery



 I've spent much of the last few weeks in the studio.  I'm excited to say some of my originial folk art and a few of my fabric pieces are now available at the Southern Fried Gallery in Townsend, Tennessee...a unique shop filled with creations by local artists and handmade gurus.  I'm thrilled to be included with such a talented group of artists, but new projects tend to eat up the edges of my day and sometimes I forget to notice the leaves changing colors or dusk creeping in earlier each evening.  Then, several nights ago, I heard the old barn owl begin to sing.  Time for a break, I think, so we decided to take a deep breath this weekend and host our first bonfire of the season.

There really is something to be said for simply living life.  I'm so blessed that I enjoy all that I do...even when it feels a little overwhelming...but it is so easy to get lost in creating a life and forget to simply enjoy living the one we already have.  Tonight, I plan to do just that...roasted veggie soup is already simmering on the stove, hats and gloves have been secured, and I just pulled our old quilts out of the cedar chest...all in preparation of a night by the fire in the company of old friends.  Tomorrow I can plot, organize, and update my weekly planner, but for a few hours this evening, I'm going live life...totally in the moment, watching the stars and maybe even adding a little harmony to that barn owl's song.

Life Changing...

About this time each year, I feel an internal shift as summer winds down into fall and the kids go back to school.  Soon, the air will begin to feel cooler, our days will be shorter, and our easy family life will pick up speed, racing head long into autumn with barely a breath to spare before the holidays.  So, as I think about the coming school year, I can't believe how much our lives have changed in recent years.

This weekend, I found myself wondering about life changing events.  First, I met a lovely young lady in my Saturday morning yoga class. She was a beautiful bride-to-be looking forward to walking down the aisle that evening. I was touched that she chose to share a part of her special day with me and I can only imagine the many special life changing moments waiting for her in the years to come.   Later, I found myself sharing baby stories at the baby shower for our family's newest edition...my cousin's little girl, Emory Kate.  I had been working all week on her baby gift, and I don't know if it was the fun I had testing various shades of pink or the joy I of painting rainbows and clouds, but I kept remembering clearly those tender moments before the birth of my own daughter and how peaceful I felt.

It's funny how life changing events seem to unfold...some expected and long anticipated, others more surprising, and still others so gentle and subtle that we are rarely aware of their significance until we look back and realize how much things have changed.  I remember writing my name over and over again the night before my wedding, thinking how odd it would be to have a new last name.  I remember clearly how much my own life changed at the birth of our son and then shifted again when our daughter came along.  I remember my children's tentative first days of kindergarten and recently esprinted those moments again as our kids entered middle and high school.  I remember losses, successes, career changes and relocations...and still our lives continue to evolve.

Our son is 16 years old now and planning on driving to school and just yesterday, we registered his car for a school parking permit.  And even as he doesn't recognize how much his life is beginning to change, I, too, am working through my own life changing moments...adjusting to life with teenagers, multiple careers, life in this old farm house.  I'm looking  back with a bit of a sigh, I'm afraid, but still looking forward to whatever tomorrow might bring!

Laid Back Summer Fun...

I love summer.  Daily I hear remarks about how hot the weather has been, how humid the air feels, how generally sticky and uncomfortable things seem...but I have to admit, although autumn is my favorite time of year, I'm still like a school kid anxious for a break from my typical schedule and the inevitable slowing down that comes with hot days and humid nights.

The first house my husband and I lived in was a small, old house on 10 acres of land.  We moved in November, just in time to enjoy spending Christmas with our family.  The house really wasn't set-up for entertaining, however, so we hosted our first large scale party several months later on Memorial Day when the weather was warm and we could take advantage of the acres of hayfield surrounding around our house.  What fun we had!  Since then, we've lived in homes large and small, but most of our parties are still held outdoors with tents, bonfires, potato salad and a whole lot of laid back fun.

For Memorial Day this year, we had friends and family over to celebrate our son's birthday...Darby turned 16 this year.  Tables and chairs were set up on the deck and out under a tent in the field near the fire pit.  Adults were chatting and playing horse shoes (yes, we have a regulation horse shoe pit), while the kids were running around, riding bikes, playing music, etc.  At one point in the evening, I noticed my now 16 year old son and a friend sitting around the table on our deck playing a board game.  I was surprised, but I don't know why...Checkers, Dominos, Rook, and Crazy 8's have long been a part of our family summer tradition and game boards and card decks are packed along side the sunscreen on camping trips as well as our annual trek to Florida.  Still, Darby's interests have been so diverse lately, and, at 16, he really is evolving right before my eyes into an amazing young man.  In that moment, however, time seemed to stand still and I felt such sweet peace...to be reminded that no matter how grown up my children may seem, some things truly never change.

The green, hand painted game board is one of my own design...just a breath of inspiration as I watched my son have fun doing the simplest of summer things.  Long ago we began loosing pieces to our game boards - two kids, two dogs, and two relocations have left me with a random assortment of game pieces, I'm afraid, so we began collecting bottle caps and using them instead...we've also used buttons, pennies, and pretty much anything lying around.  Nothing complicated here, but as functional as it is funky.  This board design really illustrates the simple, summer lifestyle we've embraced.  So, grab a game board or pull out that deck of cards, pop off a bottle cap, and take a deep breath.  Summer only comes around once a year...enjoy.

Getting Organized...

Since I have some custom orders to fill, I decided that my sweet little studio needed a bit of cleaning and organizing...not unlike the rest of this old farmhouse!  I'm afraid that my time spent painting and playing in my veggie patch had left the studio more than a little bit messy, so...time for spring cleaning, so to speak!

I have spent much of the last few days fabric shopping (not that I'm complaining, mind you!) for paisley and floral prints...oh, and a new iron since Darby's foray into silk screening destroyed my old one when he accidentally tipped it over onto some jumper cables in the garage.  Although I still can't find my fabric scissors, I'm planning on creating some new Namaste' Pillowcases and other bed linens, but I think I've got enough fabric for a few other projects.  The patterns have inspired me so much,t I find myself doodling paisley designs instead of doing other, more important things like washing dishes or doing the laundry, but I'm sure my doodles will turn up in my artwork before too long, so I still considered it time well spent. 

Speaking of painting, although I haven't finished tweaking the veggie patch artwork, I'm already planning my next set of projects, so I made an early morning trip out to the barn to search for some old wood.  I got a little side-tracked when I uncovered these old plant pots...dirty, of course, but in great shape, so now my mind is winding its way down new creative roads.

I've decided I don't take nearly enough time for planning and organizing.  Like many of you, my days can get pretty overwhelmed with the day-to-day stuff like brushing my teeth and cooking dinner and, since I seem to have a little bit of project ADD, I feel like my creative mind is going in twenty different directions at once!  Still, organizing clears the path for inspiration, I think...and certainly points out that I have five bottles of Caribbean Blue paint, but only one bottle of yellow.  It gives me a road map for accomplishment and a sense of clarity.  Getting organized is sort of like taking a deep, cleansing breath and I kind of like that idea.

Now...if I could just find those scissors...

Quilting...and a little yoga thought

I think quilts are beautiful. Although I'm not a quilter myself, I'm often inspired by the creative designs and beautiful patterns in handmade quilts - not to mention the attention to detail. In an age of mass consumption and manufacturing, it takes so much patience and love to actually piece and sew a quilt by hand. More than that, I think it takes a unique ability to focus on what's in front of you while understanding the bigger picture.

The artwork pictured above was made for a charity auction benefiting Give 5 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. As I said, I'm not a quilter, but I was inspired by a photo I had taken of a quilt drying on my clothesline, and so I decided to create a "quilt" on wood. Each "square" is a individual illustration that has been decoupaged onto wood...I pieced each square separately just as you would piece a quilt. What an experience! I soon realized that quilting isn't for the faint of heart! But more importantly, I began to appreciate the ability to stay completely focused in the moment without loosing sight of the big picture.

In yoga, we talk a lot about being centered and in the present. What I'm afraid we miss, however, is the deeper understanding that this moment was birthed from the one before it and evolves into the one beyond it. How we are right now is both a product of all that we have been and will determine what we bring into the future. And, since it is so important to live this moment well, we should also remember that we are only a small part of a much bigger whole. As intricate a design as our "piece of the quilt" might be...shades, shadows, detail and all...it is just one small piece of a much larger quilt.

Needless to say, I have renewed respect for quilters and fabric artist of all kinds. And although my quilt might not be designed for physical warmth, I know that the money raised in the auction will go toward helping needy families this time of year. I'm just a small piece...trying to live this moment really well and happy to be a part of a much grander quilt in the world.

This Time of the Year is Made for the Moon...

I love this time of the year...when the weather gets cooler and shadows fall in the afternoon. The trees are turning beautiful shades of red and orange so that we can enjoy one final show before they go to sleep and everything becomes quite and still in the cold of winter. This is the time of year for wrapping up in an old quilt with new yarn to knit or a good book to read. And, just as summer is the time to embrace the sun, Autumn is made for the Moon.

I have always loved nights when the moon is full and so bright that you don't need a flash light when stepping out after dark. To me, there is a certain electric magic in the air on moonlit nights...a time for fairy tales and intuition...and a time to wonder at the beauty and mystery of the universe.

Most yoga students are familiar with the vinyasa series of asanas (poses) know collectively as the Sun Salutation. Less know, but equally beneficial is a series of poses known as Chandra Namasker or Moon Salutation. While the Sun Salutation expresses stepping forward in life to accept challenge and be strong, the Moon Salutation expresses looking inward to illuminate creativity and joy...to time spent by the fire knitting or drinking tea.

So, embrace each morning and enjoy an invigorating series of Sun Salutations, but take some time, maybe late in the day when the shadows start to inch across the floor and think about the Moon...and all that brings you joy.

Chandra Namasker (Moon Salutation*):

• Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Breathe and bring the arms overhead reaching slightly behind the body. Return to the center and leaning gently to the right side (Half Moon Pose) then to the left. Return to center and exhale to a forward fold.

• Step the right foot back and then walk the body over to the right side so that the body is folded forward and the legs are spread wide apart. If you are comfortable, place the hands on the feet (Head to Feet pose). Inhale, then exhale and roll up the spine to a standing position, legs still wide.

• Inhale and bring the arms overhead. Exhale and fold the body to the right leg (Head to Knee pose). Breathe and lift the arms back to standing and repeat to the left side. Repeat to standing and then return to Head to Feet pose. Breathe. Exhale and walk the torso back around to the front of the mat.

• Bend the left knee and turn the back toe (right leg) coming into Crescent Moon pose (low lunge). With an exhale, step the right leg up into a modified squat or forward fold then repeat Crescent Moon pose on the other side, stepping the left leg back and bending the right knee.

• With an exhale, lift the hips and come to Downward Dog. If you feel comfortable and strong, raise the right leg. Hold to inhale then exhale to lower. Repeat with the left leg.

• Breathe into Plank pose and then lower all the way to the floor. Breathe up into Cobra pose. Exhale to Downward Dog or a low squat. Inhale and move to forward fold. Exhale back to Tadasana (Mountain).

*Please note some transitions might vary from a traditional practice.

Running...and wearing pink!

If you haven't already figured it out, I've been doing a bit of running lately. I've actually come to look forward to it...the fresh air, the sounds of squirrels and birds, the way that the trees keep time with the wind..with my breath. Short of yoga, it is almost perfect zen.

I've been inspired. And now, I want to give back. So, I've chosen to run on Saturday, October 24th in the annual Komen Race for the Cure in Knoxville, Tennessee. This will be my first organized event - and my very first 5k! I'm both excited and nervous, as you can imagine! I guess it is only inevitable that after spending so many years sharing my yoga life with so many amazing people that I have come to know far too many that have faced the challenge of Breast Cancer. It's impossible to explain the lessons in courage that I've learned from them...and the shared loss when a battle bravely fought has become too much. For this reason, it only seems fitting that my first 5k be in their honor and with their spirit.

The photo is of an original illustration I created in honor of the Race for the Cure. I titled in "Celebration Shoes" and it is captioned with the words "Celebrate, Laugh, Embrace, Smile." Obviously, my shoes are every shade of pink I could create! A print of this illustration is for sale for a limited time in my shop at http://www.yoganoodles.etsy.com/ and all proceeds from its sale will go to the Komen Race for the Cure.

I would love for you to own a copy of "Celebrate Shoes," but even if you choose not to purchase, you can still contribute to my fundraising efforts by visiting http://komenknoxville.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event.fundraising&eventID=506&participantID=6717

Thanks for your support...and maybe you too will be inspired to wear pink and run!

A Little Bit of Poetry...

"I ran...through the wet underbrush and shadows of old trees with coiled roots. I ran...beyond the heavy mist that settled deep in my lungs. I ran...up hills and into ditches, my shoes muddy and moist.

I ran...through all that was familiar, and harsh, and cold.

Behind the barn and through the vines, I ran toward the sun...warm and filled with yellow light...fresh and clean. I ran into a field of butterflies and felt their gentle wings touch my skin.

I ran into the present...into all that is possible."


Jana Huddleston...September 2009.

"What have you been up to?"

I love moving back to an old, familiar place...everywhere I go, I run into old friends and former yoga students. Each one greets me with a warm hug, a smile, and the same question, "So, what have you been up to?"

What have I been up to? I guess I've just been living life! I've picked up a few new hobbies, explored some rusty, dusty creative talents, and yet I'm still a mom, wife, daughter, and sister. I still have kids and dogs. I'm still married. I still teach yoga. I still don't have time to read and hate to do laundry. I still have less time than I have projects to finish and I'm still just trying to figure it all out!

If I've changed at all in the last few years, I would have to say I focus more on being than on doing. I've always been ready and willing to listen, to pay attention, but now I think I'm beginning to understand what it means to "listen quietly." Funny what you discover about yourself when you listen...

A forever doodler and truly closet artist, I've been experimenting with some ink illustration and have been blessed with great feedback. Most of my work, I've discovered, is what I "hear" when I listen quietly. More importantly, it allows me to express myself in a completely nonverbal way (something this life-long talker has found to be profound), and...well, has its own kind of "zen" and that makes me smile.

This old farm we now call home is full of wonderful inspiration...muscadine grapes growing around the barn, clover crawling up old tree stumps, rabbits (huge rabbits) hidding in the brush around an old creek. My sewing room offers a huge window and just enough space for my yoga mat and art table so I can take it all in, breathe it all out, and enjoy...at least until it's time to do the laundry!

Simple Rhythm...

I love a routine. I love the certainty that each day will begin at about 5:00am and end at about 10:00pm. I love knowing that my cereal bowls are always on the second shelf and that the coffee cups are next to the sink. I love picking up the mail at the post office in the morning after yoga and listening to 70's music while I cook dinner. Simple tasks repeated each day take on their own rhythm...stirring my morning cup of coffee, washing dishes, sweeping the kitchen floor, making the bed. They put the day into perspective, give it context, and make me feel secure. It's this rhythm that connects making bread to paying bills and leaves just enough space to enjoy both.

I did the art work (photo above) as a Mother's Day gift for my mother-in-law, Lisa. She, too, loves a routine. It is hard to see in the photo, but the illustration is captioned saying "Inhale happiness, Exhale peace," a quote familiar to many of my yoga students, as I use it often in class. One breath is connected to the next in a simple, everyday rhythm...unique and familiar connecting what goes on within us with all that is around us.

Currently, we are in the process of moving. I am excited about being back with family and old friends, but my daily routine has been greatly affected and I can't wait to unpack my cereal bowls (they miss their second shelf home, I'm sure). And, although I'm still stirring coffee and washing dishes, my mind feels as scattered as my belongings. So, until I'm settled into my "new" routine, I will remember to breathe deeply and enjoy the simple rhythm.